Summer's beginning

Summer has begun and we are off to a good start.  Emma is staying busy with softball, swimming, playing with the neighbors, and piano.

 She's doing quite well in both sports.  Steve thinks, though, that her favorite part of softball is cheering and chanting on the sidelines as she waits for her turn to bat.

 We love it when friends come to back to town to visit.  We sure do miss the Barlows (some more than others-wink! wink!)

 Starved Rock is one of my favorite places to be and gives me my hiking fix when I'm missing my Ruby Mountains and Lamoille Canyon.

 It's always fun to discover new tricks with friends...

 and create lasting bonds...

 and see snakes on logs

 and climb in sandstone crevices.

 I loved this picture of Emma! What a happy girl!

 Carter and Evan are also on the swim team.  They practice 8-9:30 Monday through Friday.  This is a fairly typical race for Carter.  He wins every time.  There is one teammate on his own team that can beat him, but other than that, we haven't met anyone yet. I'm sure the city meet will bring out his competition.  Until then, he's accumulating quite a collection of blue ribbons.

 Despite not swimming for a year and a half due to mono last summer and having to give up Fox Swim Team during the winter because of his other handful of activities, Evan is doing well.  He's earned a spot on the A Relay team and will be competing in the top city meet in 3 events next month.

 Steve's church calling as scoutmaster keeps him VERY busy.  He had to go to Centennial Beach to help some boys with their swimming certification, so we tagged along.  Emma passed the deep water test and is now OK'd to jump off the high dives!  Here she is!  Gotta love those knocked knees she inherited!

 Carter--showing off.:)

 Lizzie- watching the show.

 Braxton - judging the heights of splashes from his brothers.  Does he look old and big or what?

Carter's Spring Soccer Team - Losers No More

 Carter has now been playing on this "Premier" team for 2 years.  We love this league.  It's more than a "rec" league, but there is no travel involved.  He loves the coach and has some great friends on the team.

 Carter made 2 goals in his last game!  Above, he can't even believe his shot made it through the goalie's hands!  Below, was a great move and shot.

 He gets to play with a really great friend from Church.  Andrew is an unbelievable defender--seriously.   I am amazed by his speed and ability to never be outmatched.  His kick is extremely powerful.  This penalty kick got us our 3rd goal of the game.  

 I have LOVED watching these boys this season. They were communicating, playing in their positions, passing, and looking like a real team.  

March Madness - Emma's 7!

Emma received this cool princess bike helmet, American Girl Doll Books, some new clothes, wuggle pets, a boy barbie, and crafts.

Emma's favorites:

 color - purple 

singer - Taylor Swift

 singing group - Straight No Chaser and Vocal Point (acapella)

subject in school - Rocket Math

author - Eric Carle

book - Magic Tree House series

movie - Sound of Music

best friends - Jenna & Callista, Sydney, Carli H., Meredith, Katelyn, Hailey, Calleigh, Chloe, Nick

hobbies - swimming, piano, singing, dancing, reading

food - Dad's steak and bacon-wrapped scallops or anything with bacon

place - Disneyworld

My Daisy

Emma has been a part of this Daisy troop now for 2 years.  She has 2 great leaders who care about the girls, and a great group of girls that she has fun with.  

She has completed the task of learning about different qualities like service, nutrition, honesty, etc. 

 She is now ready to move on to Brownies!

CroNeuqua

Braxton's last week at Crone was one filled with highs and lows.  He got a bad sunburn during the Memorial Day parade, but had a great time hanging out with his friends.

Tuesday he was selected as the recipient of an award from the Exchange Club of Naperville given to the "Most Outstanding Student" who exemplifies Citizenship, Scholarship, Community Service, and Friendship.  We couldn't be prouder to have a son recognized for such wonderful qualities.

 Low - Steve and I missed the assembly.  Call it "miscommunication." I cried and was mad and have had to get over it, but luckily he was recognized again at the "Transition Assembly." This assembly was basically 8th grade graduation where we learned that he was actually nominated for two awards!

 Shaking hands with Principle Davenport.  

After the last concert for Honors Chorus, the kids just couldn't help but praise Mr. Sillar.  He has been a wonderful, positive influence in their lives, and they are all going to miss him.  He's done a great job preparing them for the high school music program.

 In fact, Braxton was one of eight 8th graders who made call-backs for Wild Scats, the high school jazz choir.  Six of those 8th graders were from Braxton's Honors Chorus group.

 Braxton didn't make the final cut; however, the director sent me a personal email telling me how excited he was to work with Braxton in the bass choir next year and that he sees a ton of potential in him.  Braxton was, of course, disappointed, but had the best attitude going into the audition and coming away from it.

I am so proud of this kid/man-child.  He has grown in so many ways over the last 3 years.  I'm terrified to have him start high school this next year, but excited to see who he becomes in the next 4 years.  He has a pattern of surpassing everyone's expectations.  

Weekend of Performances

The high schools in Naperville have a wonderful tradition of hosting a "Fine Arts Festival" near the end of May.  Because of the involvement of my kids in music, the weekend of May 25-26th turned out to be packed full of performances.  Not only were my boys performing at the Fine Arts Festival, but my girls had their dance recital and my singing group, Friends in Harmony, held a performance for our family and friends.  I really wanted to share this amazing weekend with someone, so I invited my mom and she came!  Friday, after a little shopping at Kohls (it's a moral imperative to shop with my mom--even for only 30 minutes), we picked up Lizzie from preschool and ate out at the Naf Naf Grill.  This is a delicious restaurant with middle eastern food.  It has the best pitas and hummus I've ever tasted!  Having studied in Jerusalem in my younger years, the smells and flavors take me back to an unforgettable slice of my life.

The weather was perfect, so we took Grandma to Phillips Park & Zoo.  This crocodile turned towards Lizzie, smiled, then slowly opened its mouth wider and wider until it yawned and quickly shut.  Weird.

Grandma was a good sport playing on the equipment with Lizzie.  Lizzie discovered how to pump on the swings all by herself!  Success!

Friday night at the Alleluia church's theater, Lizzie showed off her tap skills to "Hooray for Hollywood".

Emma danced tap to "King of New York" and jazz to Annie's "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here."

Evan played his cello first thing in the morning.  This Fine Arts Festival is unique because the elementary (4th and 5th grade) choirs, bands, and orchestras come together with sections of the high school students who boost the sound and level of play to a whole new level.  They make the younger kids sound superb.  Plus, it's a plug for the younger children to stay in the Arts as they get a taste of the Grammy winning programs that are offered at the high schools here.

Emma had a piece of art make it!

So did Carter!

Evan is surrounded by beautiful women in this picture.  Yes, he is my male soprano...this year.

Braxton is on the top row in the center in a baby blue striped polo.  He had a great time and cannot wait to be a part of Neuqua's bass choir!

Here's Friends in Harmony dancing along to "Sugartime"--Sugar in the morning, sugar in the evening, sugar at suppertime.  Be my little sugar, and love me all the time.

My girls have gone to my rehearsals every week for the last 3 years! They couldn't contain themselves and had to do the actions to Sentimental Journey.  Grandma Alleman had as much fun watching them as she did watching me!!!

I love singing and dancing with this group of women!  We make some pretty great music together! :)

Mother's Day

I love Mother's Day!  It's one of my favorite days of the year.  My girls also make it special for 2 weeks.  Lizzie started saying "Happy Mother's Day" multiple times each day when I believe her preschool started practicing their songs for Mother's Day Tea Day--at least a week before the date.  Emma would surprise me with cute notes and pictures all over the house--taped to my wall, left on my pillow, etc.  They are so sweet!  That day was fun to celebrate with the kids in Nursery.  The Senior primary sang a song that I found online called "Taught By Their Mothers" that moved me to tears each time they practiced.  I hope that my children can stand strong and be true to their faith because they were taught by a mother striving to live a life similar to those of the stripling warriors.  

My fab 5!

 Steve had the wonderful opportunity to share this Mother's Day with his own mother...a day he has teased her with for years.  He's has offered to grill her a filet mignon on Mother's Day for years and this year it came to pass--along with grilled zucchini, bacon wrapped scallops, asparagus, strawberries, and potatoes. Mmmmmm!  

Steve attempted his first Dutch oven dessert in the backyard experiment and it was delicious!  With him now as the scout master and an owner of our own dutch oven, he is now spreading his wings and trying to perfect different scouting delicacies. :)  We are looking forward to many, many more of these this summer!

At the end of the day, this is the wonderful, smart, driven, talented, and caring man who takes care of me and our children.  I am so grateful that he provides a way for me to stay home with our children so that I can work on being the mom I've always wanted to be.

Our anniversary falls in the 3 week window between my birthday and Mother's Day.  It's been 16 years!

So far the story has been an adventure with twists and turns, but I'm always excited for the next chapter...